Valve and stem protector



s 54 3 L J Inf-5 i II-- 22 J c. L. COWDREY 3,17,686

VALVE AND STEM PROTECTOR Filed July '7, 1961 INVENTOR.

CAM L- Cowoze-Y BY ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofifice 3,107,686 Patented Oct. 22, 1963 3,107,686 VALVE AND STEM PROTECTOR Cam L. Cowdrey, 7406 W. 40th, Little Rock, Ark. Filed July 7, 1961, Ser. No. 122,504 4 Claims. (Cl. 137-360) This invention relates to a novel protector for temporary installation on plumbing fixture valves and valve stems.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a simple, easily installed, and efiicient protector of the kind indicated, which is adapted to be installed to protectively enclose plumbing fixture valves and their stems and protect them against damage and against the accumulation thereon of foreign matter, such as paint, plaster, mortar, and the like, which otherwise occurs where plumbing has been roughed-in in a building under construction, and building operations continue after the plumbing has been installed, for completing the walls or the like in which the valves are installed. Thus, the presence of protectors of the present invention on such valves and stems, eliminates the time-consuming and laborious work of cleaning the valves and the stems, including threaded portions thereof, of such accumulations.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a lightweight, durable, and economical protector of the character indicated above which can be re-used indefinitely, and which readily adjusts for stems of different lengths and accepts valves and stems of different diameters.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a protector of the character indicated above, which is adapted to utilize the handle-retaining screw on a valve stem, or any other suitable screw, for retention of the protector on a valve stem and its valve.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specific form of the invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary and schematic perspective showing a plumbing fixture installed behind a wall, with valve elements of the fixture extending therethrough and having valve stems which have protectors of the present invention installed thereon, portions being shown in phantom lines;

FIGURE 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 2; and,

FIGURE 4 is an exploded perspective view of said protector.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, illustrative use of protectors of the present invention involves a wall W, a plumbing fixture F, such as both a tub or washbasin fixture, having valve elements extending through the wall. The valve elements have exposed threaded portions 12, on which escutcheons (not shown) are to be installed, upon completion of building operations, and secured in place against the wall, by means of nuts 14, and valve stems 16 extending outwardly from the portions 12 having splined outer ends 18, on which handles (not shown) are to be installed. The splined ends 18 have sockets 20, opening to their outer ends, into which retaining screws 22 are adapted to be screwed, to retain the handles in place. When building operations take place after installation of such a fixture, damage to the splined ends 18, the nuts 14,

and the threaded portions 12 are likely as are accumulations thereon of such foreign matter as paint, plaster, mortar, and the like, which are difiicult to remove.

The illustrated protector, generally designated 24, comprises a cylindrical tube 26, of relatively stifi, moisture impervious material, such as plastic or lightweight metal, which is longer than the combined lengths of the valve element 10, the threaded portion 12, and the valve stem 16, and is larger in internal diameter than the element 10. A relatively long internal screw thread 28 is provided in the tube 26 and extends inwardly from its outer end 30, to receive a relatively thick plug 32, which is preferably of metal, such as brass.

The plug 32 is provided with a relatively small diameter smooth axial bore 34 extending therethrough, and the outer end of the plug is formed with a diametrical screwdriver slot 36, which extends the full width of the plug. The outer end of the bore 34 is reamed to provide a seat 38 for a screw head.

As shown in FIGURE 3, the protector 24 is installed on a valve element 10 simply by passing the tube 26 over the stem 16, the threaded portion 12, and the element 10, and engaging its inner end 40 with a portion of the fixture F, such as a bulbous elbow 42, larger in diameter than the valve element 10, then turning the plug 32 into the tube 26 until it abuts the outer end of the splined end 18 of the stem 16, and then securing the protector in place by passing the shank 44 of a screw 22, such as a screw already provided on the stem 16, and removed before installation of the protector, and threading the shank 44 into the threaded socket 20 of the stem, until the head 46 of the screw engages in the seat 38 in the outer end of the plug 32.

By having the protector tube 26 larger in internal diameter than a given valve element 10, the tube 26 can be used on valve elements of differing diameters, and by having the tube 26 larger than a given valve assembly, the protector is readily adjustable, by rotating the plug 32, to accommodate valve assemblies, including stems 16, of differing lengths.

Although there has been shown and described a preferred form of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily confined thereto, and that any change or changes in the structure of and in the relative arrangements of components thereof are contemplated as being within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a plumbing fixture having a valve extending therefrom, said valve having a stem extending axially therefrom, said stem having threads therein, a removable protector comprising a tube engaged over the valve and the stem and having an inner end abutting said fixture, a plug threaded in the outer end of the tube,

said plug having a smooth axial bore, a screw having a smooth shank and a head on its outer end, said screw shank extending through said bore with its head bearing against the outer end of the plug, said screw being threaded to said threads in the valve stem, and means on the plug for rotating the plug.

2. In combination, a plumbing fixture having a valve extending therefrom, said valve having a stem extending axially therefrom, said stem having threads therein, a removable protector comprising a tube engaged over the valve and the stem and having an inner end abutting said fixture, a plug threaded in the outer end of the tube, said plug having a smooth axial bore, a screw having a smooth shank and a head on its outer end, said screw shank extending through said bore with its head bearing against the outer end of the plug, said screw being threaded to said threads on the valve stem, and means on the plug for rotating the plug, said means comprising a diametrical screwdriver slot in the outer end of the plug.

3. In combination, a plumbing fixture having a valve extending thereform, said valve having a stem extending axially therefrom, said stem having threads therein, a removable protector comprising a tube engaged over the valve and the stem and havingjan inner end abutting said fixture, a plug threaded in the outer end of the tube, said plug having a smooth axial bore, a screw having a smooth shank and a head on its outer end, said screw shank extending through said bore with its head bearing against the outer end of the plug, said screw being threaded to said threads in the valve stem, and means on the plug for rotating the plug, said plug having a seat in its outer end in which the screw head is engaged.

4. In combination, an unfinished wall element, a plumbing fixture supported behind the Wall element, said element having an opening, said fixture having a valve extending through said opening and beyond the wall element, a valve stem extending axially outwardly from the valve, a protector comprising a tube engaged over the valve and its stern and extending through the wall element opening, said tube having an inner end bearing against said fixture and an outer end, a plug threaded into the outer end of the tube, said plug having a smooth bore aligned with the valve stem, a screw having a smooth shank and ahead on its outer end, said screw shank extending through the plug bore with its head engaged with the outer end of the plug, and means threadably connecting the inner end of the screw shank with the valve stem and means for rotating the plug in the tube.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. IN COMBINATION, A PLUMBING FIXTURE HAVING A VALVE EXTENDING THEREFROM, SAID VALVE HAVING A STEM EXTENDING AXIALLY THEREFROM, SAID STEM HAVING THREADS THEREIN, A REMOVABLE PROTECTOR COMPRISING A TUBE ENGAGED OVER THE VALVE AND THE STEM AND HAVING AN INNER END ABUTTING SAID FIXTURE, A PLUG THREADED IN THE OUTER END OF THE TUBE SAID PLUG HAVING A SMOOTH AXIAL BORE, A SCREW HAVING A SMOOTH SHANK AND A HEAD ON ITS OUTER END, SAID SCREW SHANK EXTENDING THROUGH SAID BORE WITH ITS HEAD BEARING AGAINST THE OUTER END OF THE PLUG, SAID SCREW BEING THREADED TO SAID THREADS IN THE VALVE STEM, AND MEANS ON THE PLUG FOR ROTATING THE PLUG. 